Application of frailty index based on a comprehensive geriatric assessment in hospitalized elderly patients

Objective The feasibility of frailty index based on a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in Chinese hospitalized elderly patients was explored and the frailty status was analyzed. Methods A total of 105 patients were interviewed using CGA and Clinical Frailty Scale-09 (CFS-09), and frailty index was calculated based on CGA (FI-CGA). Besides, the health status of hospitalized elderly patients was evaluated with CFS-09 and the correlation between FI-CGA and CFS level was analyzed. The comparison between the two groups was tested by t-test, and the comparison between groups was based on the single factor variance analysis, and the correlation was analyzed by Spearman correlation. Results The FI-CGA values of 105 patients was 0.01~0.57 and the average was 0.18±0.11; The CFS score of 105 patients was 2~7 and the mean was 3.56±1.24. The average FI-CGA and CFS was higher in female (FI-CGA: 0.05~0.57, 0.21±0.11; CFS: 2~7, 3.69±1.23) than in male (FI-CGA: 0.01~0.48, 0.17±0.11; CFS: 2~7, 3.51±1.24), but this difference was not statistically significant (t=-0.686, P > 0.05; t=-1.800, P > 0.05) . Both FI-CGA (F=11.175, P < 0.01) and CFS (F=6.937, P < 0.01) increased with age and FI-CGA was positively correlated with CFS in different age groups (60-69 group: r=0.700, P < 0.01; 70-79 group: r=0.796, P < 0.01; ≥80 group: r=0.906, P < 0.01). Conclusion FI-CGA model, a valid, reliable and sensible clinical measure, is capable of quantifying the degree of frailty and evaluating the health status of hospitalized elderly patients. This model is worthy to be widely applied to clinical geriatric medicine. Key words: Comprehensive geriatric assessment; Frailty; Frailty index; Clinical Frailty Scale